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The Rancho Cordova Police Department has recently been the beneficiary of a grant awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), aimed at buttressing the department's efforts in both enforcing laws and educating the public to curtail traffic-related injuries and fatalities. This influx of resources, appropriated through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, sets its sights on a variety of programs that are slated to extend through September 2026. OTS's decision to furnish RCPD with additional funding was influenced by the department's commitment to a hybrid approach of education and enforcement. As reported by the City of Rancho Cordova, Sgt. Jeremy Day remarked, "We are grateful to receive this grant, which will strengthen our traffic enforcement efforts and improve road safety." Day further emphasized the objective to "reduce dangerous driving behaviors, prevent crashes, and make our roads safer for everyone." The scope of the grant's application is comprehensive, supporting DUI checkpoints to halt impaired driving, high-visibility operations to deter distracted drivers, particularly those flouting California’s hands-free cellphone law. Additionally, the grant will back initiatives that target risky behaviors endangering cyclists and pedestrians, including speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and or red-light violations, and unsafe lane changes or turns. Further fleshing out the grant's utilitarian role, there will be an emphasis on community outreach, with education sessions to discuss traffic safety issues ranging from distract driving to pedestrian and bicycle safety. The RCPD will also collaborate with neighboring agencies to embolden enforcement efforts, and allocate portions of the grant for essential officer training programs such as Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) certification or recertification endeavors.
